Chapter 23

After getting home, I realized I had another problem: how the heck was I gonna find Lally?

Just waltzing in there was a no-go. This Entertainment Club was officially shut down but secretly running a prostitution ring.

It would've been easier if I were a guy, but as a woman, there was no way I could get in. And even if I did, I wouldn't know what to say.

Going in directly would definitely put them on high alert. But I also had no clue how to create a fake identity. Undercover work wasn't my thing. Over the years, as a journalist or prosecutor, I'd always gone in headfirst without hiding who I was.

After mulling it over, I decided to call a buddy in the police department's criminal investigation team. I had some dirt on the Entertainment Club that I could share with them, hoping it might lead to something new.

I scrolled through my phone contacts and stopped at Benjamin Wright's name.

Benjamin was the deputy captain of the criminal investigation team at the Silverlight City Police Department. Back in college, Silverlight University Law School and Silverlight Police University had this internship exchange program.

He had a thing for Cindy Hernandez from our dorm back then. They barely spoke, but he once went to our dorm and sang a love confession with a hoarse voice and mediocre guitar skills, surrounded by candles. Cindy was freaked out, but his name became legendary at the law school.

He then switched tactics, deciding to get close to Cindy through her friends. That was how I met Benjamin. With his shamelessness, sharp eyes, and social skills, he used what he learned in criminal investigation classes to woo Cindy. He found out all about Cindy's interests, frequently invited her to meals, movies, and outings, and was always attentive and patient. After two years of persistence, he finally won Cindy's heart.

A few years ago, when he got married, Alan and I attended the wedding.

After hearing about Benjamin's wild stories, even the usually composed Alan couldn't help but laugh and said, "With that kind of determination, he's perfect for criminal investigation."

And indeed, that was true.

Benjamin was usually laid-back, but he had a knack for criminal investigation, acing all his subjects. He graduated in 2013, and in just ten years, he solved several major cases in the city, quickly rising from a district cop to the deputy captain of the city's criminal investigation team.

When I was at the prosecutor's office, I worked with him on several job-related crime cases, but we hadn't kept in touch much lately.

I dialed his number, and after a few rings, he picked up. From the background noise, it sounded like he was still in a meeting and had stepped out to take the call. He said, "Mrs. Smith, what's up? The prosecutor's office actually called me? Our captain's in a meeting, but I rushed out to take your call!"

We hadn't seen each other in years, but he was still the same. Memories of our college days came flooding back, and I felt a warmth in my heart.

Then it occurred to me that with such a major case like the True Love Entertainment Club arson and murder, how could a deputy captain of the criminal police squad not know about it?

Perhaps he had been too busy lately, or maybe he wasn't handling this case and hadn't been paying attention. After all, he didn't even know that I had left the prosecutor's office.

He was indeed as careless as ever; he hadn't changed a bit over the years. When I saw Cindy last year, she complained that he only cared about cases and didn't think about anything else.

I didn't know where to start, so I simply said it was for work and needed his help. He readily agreed to meet at a barbecue joint near the police department at 7 PM.

I glanced at the time. It was almost five o'clock when I got home from Digital Leap Technologies Company. Now it was around six ten, just the right time to head over and wait for him.

When I pulled up to the barbecue joint, Benjamin was already hanging around the entrance, looking around.

In his thirties, he hadn't put on any weight and was still lean, but he had grown a beard, and his short hair had turned long, looking like it hadn't been cut in a while. He was shivering in the cold wind, wrapped in a leather jacket.

I parked the car and greeted him, "Long time no see, Benjamin. Why aren't you inside? It's freezing out here."

Benjamin replied, "Mrs. Smith, long time no see. I've missed you... I don't have any money, and I'll be nervous if I go in! You know Cindy controls the money tightly. If I go in first, order food, and can't pay, what then?"

Classic Benjamin. I was speechless and quickly invited him inside. Then I briefly explained the past few years and the True Love Entertainment Club arson and murder case.

"What? You left the prosecutor's office? If you're the editor-in-chief at Silverlight City Legal Journal now, then that article criticizing our team's case handling must be written by you, right? The victim in the True Love Entertainment Club arson and murder case was... Alan?" Benjamin asked, looking at me in disbelief. His carefree demeanor vanished, and he fell silent, smoking a cigarette, lost in thought. The smoke swirled around, and the smell of nicotine filled the air.

"Nancy, I... I'm sorry. I've been really busy lately..." Benjamin hesitated, not knowing what to say.

"It's okay. I've adjusted over the past few days," I said.

"I have heard it. The trial was postponed, and the defense is said to be very strong." Benjamin put out his cigarette, took a sip of his drink, and rubbed his face, saying, "This case is strange. It indeed requires special handling, but the whole process is unusually tight. Colleagues say even the evidence was rushed, as if someone wants to close the case quickly."

I nodded. "I'm investigating this case."

"You think there's something fishy?" Benjamin asked, his eyes lighting up. When it came to cases, his professionalism was undeniable.

"Yes, there's an issue with the witness testimony. I've found some clues and need to investigate a witness." I replied, then briefly explained Lally's situation and expressed my desire to contact Lally at the Entertainment Club. I mentioned I couldn't get in due to my identity and asked if he had any ideas.

Benjamin's expression turned strange and he said, "True Love Entertainment Club again..."

I asked, "Are you guys investigating it too?"

"Yes." Benjamin nodded, thinking while saying slowly, "There have been some clues about prostitution in the past two years, but the police have investigated several times without finding evidence. Someone might be protecting them, but without catching them in the act, no evidence, and no financial loopholes, the case remains unresolved. However, we're currently investigating a drug trafficking case, and the suspect frequently visits this Entertainment Club."

Benjamin briefly explained the situation. It wasn't a major case, but the suspect was caught at the Entertainment Club. The manager of the club reported it, and the club's security caught the suspect. As a result, the Entertainment Club not only did nothing wrong but also showed good behavior. Benjamin suspected the club cut off this lead to protect the criminal group behind it.

It seemed the True Love Entertainment Club was a mess, involved in prostitution, arson, murder, and now drug trafficking. I wondered who was behind this club with such power.

At the same time, Benjamin revealed an even more astonishing piece of news, "The Entertainment Club will officially reopen the day after tomorrow."